Dundalk councillors welcome housing progress but seek more detail on allocations

Councillors have praised Louth County Council for its performance in delivering social housing, while also calling for greater public information about housing allocations, waiting lists and upcoming developments, at the September Dundalk Municipal District meeting.

Green Party Councillor Marianne Butler said the council was “top of the tables” for social housing delivery and deserved recognition for the work being done.

“We’re always quick to criticise when things aren’t moving right, but that’s something that we’re doing and doing very well,” she said.

Councillor Butler also praised the detailed information provided by council officials on housing delivery and allocations. An email circulated in April had outlined where homes were being delivered and how they would be allocated.

The information was particularly useful, she said, in addressing rumours and disinformation about houses being allocated unfairly.

She suggested that similar information should be circulated to councillors on a regular basis, potentially every three or six months, and that more information should also be made available to the public.

In response, the council said detailed housing updates had been provided and that the intention was to continue doing so. The council also reminded people seeking social housing to regularly check the choice-based letting system, as new properties can become available.

Councillors were also told that a recently announced development containing 24 cost-rental units had attracted approximately 1,200 applications. According to the information given at the meeting, around 30% of applicants were eligible.

The figures were cited as evidence of the significant demand for additional cost-rental accommodation, with councillors noting that many applicants had been unsuccessful and that others fell just outside the eligibility criteria.

The council said it remained interested in pursuing further opportunities and continued to work with approved housing bodies in relation to housing delivery.

Fianna Fáil councillor Shane McGuinness welcomed the number of allocations being made and sought further information on the nationality breakdown of housing allocations, saying that figures showing the proportion of non-Irish people on the housing list had been provided to him but that he also wanted the equivalent breakdown for allocations.

Councillor McGuinness said: “We’re out there in the public dealing with people and sometimes we have a tough time coming up with data. As much as we have great numbers in producing houses, I think it’s important that we get some data on the percentage. At the minute the percentage on the housing list is 30% non-Irish and I would just like a figure on the non-Irish percentage on the allocations of housing if I could get that please.”

In response, Councillor McGuinness was told that allocations were made to the person who had been waiting longest and was eligible for the particular property.

The issue was raised again later in the discussion, with Councillor McGuinness saying he did not understand why the requested information on Irish and non-Irish housing allocations could not be provided.

In response, a council official said: “Anybody who receives social housing support is qualified for social housing support.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Sionainn McCann raised concerns about boiler servicing in a number of council houses at Mooreland Row, where boilers appeared not to have been checked for several years.

The council explained that boiler servicing is carried out on a rolling basis, with estates scheduled for servicing each year. Officials undertook to follow up on the specific issue raised.